Fruity Salads

One of my favorite lunch or dinner meals in the summer is fresh salad. Again, a great place to start is the farmer's market to see what they have and build from there. When doing salads, the possibilities are endless. Here I just want to talk about fruit in your salad. Some people are hesitant when it comes to putting fruit in with their veggies but let me tell you, it's FANTASTIC! And, here is another opportunity to get kids involved. Let them pick the ingredients and they're more likely to eat it.

Here are a couple of my favorites:

Mixed Berry Salad

Mixed field greens (these tend to have a little bitter taste which goes really well with the sweetness of the fruit)
Assorrted Berries (I used raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, and blueberries)
Toasted Pecans
Toss lightly with balsamic vinegar

To make this into a full meal, add grilled chicken for protein.



                                                               Mandarin Orange Cranberry Salad





Fresh baby spinach leaves
Mandarin oranges
Dried cranberries
Grilled chicken (seasoned just with salt and pepper)
Toss lightly with balsamic vinegar

(This salad was prepared by my amazing sister, Lori)











I did not give you measurments for these salads as that is up to your preference. I add extra berries when I have them, because I love the way the fresh berries taste. You may also dress this with your favorites dressing. I recommend balsamic vinegar because it complements the greens in both of these salads so well. If you prefer a vinegarette, definitely use that.

Another tip is to cut up a bunch of veggies and fruits, just put in dishes on the table making a version of a Salad Bar at home. This way everyone puts what they want on their individual salads and it's an interactive dinner, and a great way to get some fresh veggies into the family diet. See who can be the most creative and the most daring!